Bay Area basketball: Ranking the locals

It’s the best Saturday of the season for in-person viewing of NCAA tournament-bound teams. Unfortunately, junkies can’t catch ’em both.

Gonzaga, a potential No. 1 seed, makes its annual visit to Saint Mary’s while San Diego State, the best team in the Mountain West and a possible No. 7-8 seed, plays San Jose State. Both games are at 7 p.m., unfortunately.

But if you’re so inclined, it’s possible to see Cal-Stanford at 3:30 and then catch either the Zags or the Aztecs.

I expect the Cal-Stanford and Gonzaga-SMC rematches to be closer than the first meetings, but with the same end result:

* The Gaels will hold up for 37-38 minutes before Gonzaga’s frontline takes control in the final possessions. (Wiltjer, Karnowski and Sabonis were 13 of 19 from the field in the first game.)

* Cal will show better than it did against Stanford in Haas (10-point loss), but the reeling Cardinal has too much at stake to lose at home … or so you’d think.

* Oh, and San Jose State and SDSU won’t be close, just in case you were wondering.

To the ratings …

1. Stanford (16-9/7-6 Pac-12)Last week: 1Results: Lost at Utah 75-59 and Colorado 64-58Next up: vs. Cal on SaturdayComment: Stanford is 5-1 against USC and the Washington schools and 2-5 against everyone else. The final five games are all against everyone else. (For a look at Stanford’s NCAA prospects, go here.)

2. Cal (16-10/6-7 Pac-12)Last week: 3Results: Won at Colorado 68-61, lost at Utah 76-61Next up: at Stanford on SaturdayComment: If the Bears, who have won five of their past six, win four of their final five — if the only loss is at Arizona — could they climb onto the NCAA bubble? Seems unlikely given that the low RPI status of so many of the victims.

3. Saint Mary’s (19-6/11-3 WCC)Last week: 2Results: Lost at BYU 82-60, won at San Diego 69-62 (2OT)Next up: vs. Portland on Thursday and Gonzaga on SaturdayComment: Gaels had best not be looking ahead to the Zags. Portland has won four in a row and is playing as well as anyone in the league except GU.

4. Santa Clara (11-15/5-9 WCC)Last week: 4Results: Lost at USF 69-62 (OT)Next up: at Pepperdine on Thursday and Loyola Marymount on SaturdayComment: Ahead by six entering the under-4 media timeout, the Broncos were outscored 19-6 down the stretch and in overtime. Pretty much an all-systems fail. That’s five consecutive losses, with several more to come.

5. USF (10-16/4-10 WCC)Last week: 5Results: Beat Santa Clara 69-62 (OT)Next up: at Loyola Marymount on Thursday and Pepperdine on SaturdayComment: Dons are playing a bit better than record indicates. Gut says they steal one this weekend, play well but lose to SMC, beat UoP in the finale and enter the WCC tourney with a bit of moment.

6. San Jose State (2-23, 0-13 MW)Last week: 6Results: Lost at Wyoming 77-60 and to Utah State 76-54Next up: vs. San Diego State on SaturdayComment: The good news: Only five games left in this miserable season.